


Spoil of Divers Colours

by Daegaer



Series: To Every Man a Damsel or Two [2]
Category: Bible - Fandom, תנ"ך | Tanakh
Genre: Gen, Tanakh - Freeform, iron age Israel, women
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-03-10
Updated: 2009-03-10
Packaged: 2017-10-11 18:47:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/115743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daegaer/pseuds/Daegaer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A girl is captured in a raid.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Spoil of Divers Colours

**Author's Note:**

> This story is based on the story of Naaman in 2 Kings 5. The title is taken from the song of Deborah in Judges 5.

  
"She is yours," Naaman said, gesturing minutely at Deborah. He had not touched her again, all the way back to Damascus, and did not touch her now, merely making a slight shooing movement towards the young woman who sat opposite him. "I give her into your hands."

"Thank you, my husband," the woman said, and turned an unblinking gaze upon Deborah. Her face was lovely but cold, her eyes deeply rimmed with kohl, and their lids painted a startling green. She bowed her head as Naaman nodded brusquely, rose and left.

Deborah stood as still as she could, her eyes downcast so that she could not see the splendour of Naaman's house, or the cold beauty of his wife, or the spite that would lie in the eyes of the maidservants at the presence of an unwashed Israelite girl. She saw Naaman's wife's slender hand as she pushed herself up from the ground, and heard the soft sound of her bright red slippers as she walked to and fro. Then the slippers stopped right before her.

"Girl."

Unwillingly, Deborah looked up. The young woman stood before her, twisting her hands together and staring at her.

"Can you understand me?"

Deborah nodded and waited for whatever order her mistress should give her. Then she saw her mistress' eyes were bright with tears, and that she was far younger than Deborah had at first thought. Her face no longer seemed cold, but very sad.

"How far you are from home, poor child," she said. "He has left you here for he wants you as little as he wants me." She put her arms about Deborah and held her close.

Deborah stood stiffly in her embrace, fearing the anger that would surely come when her mistress saw her fine clothes dirtied with the dust of the road. She smelled of sweat and smoke, while the girl who held her smelled of fine oils scented with a deep heavy perfume of flowers. It was only when she felt her mistress begin to shake with sobs that she could no longer resist, and - astonished to find sympathy in such a strange place - clung to her and cried as she had not cried once on the long journey back to Damascus.

  


* * *

  
Deborah passed weeks and then months in the service of Hesedanat the wife of Naaman. Every day Naaman would visit the women's chambers, and sit politely far enough back so they would not breathe the same air as him. He would have gifts brought for Hesedanat, and would watch her eat sweets, though he would not touch them when she offered them to him. Deborah marked how, if he looked at her, his gaze slid away, and what she could see in his eyes seemed like shame. She hid herself behind Hesedanat, silent and obedient, trusting in her mistress' kindness to keep her safe.

If so much as Naaman's shadow fell upon his wife's food he would order it thrown to the dogs, and would leave, his eyes bitter and sorrowful above the cloth that covered his face. After these times he would send his old servant, Yashion, to bear his apologies for causing offence. Deborah had learned Yashion was both a eunuch and a Philistine, part of Naaman's mother's dowry when she had long ago entered the house as a bride. At times he sat and recalled the days of his youth and the great joy the house had seen when Naaman was born, and then he would weep for the fate that had befallen his dead mistress' only son. Recalling how he had advised Naaman to bed her after the raid, Deborah regarded him with narrowed eyes and praised the Lord Yahveh that the dog of a Philistine had been enslaved as a child and had had terrible things done to him and that now all whom he loved were dead or stricken with the wrath of heaven.

"That is not kind," Hesedanat murmured, when Deborah mocked Yashion's tears.

"He's an uncircumcised dog," Deborah said, with deep satisfaction, combing scented oil through her mistress' hair.

Hesedanat pursed her lips. "I do not suppose it matters, with one such as him; he is unclean enough, being gelded. He loves my lord husband, so let us be kind." She sighed and carefully wiped at her eyes so the kohl would not be too smudged. "I'll have plenty of cakes baked for the Queen of Heaven," she said, forced gaiety in her voice. "She will hear our prayers, won't she, Deborah?"

Deborah made a noise she hoped Hesedanat would hear as assent. Her sister had baked cakes for the Queen of Heaven, praying for a fine husband; perhaps the raid had been punishment for that. A man of God had come to the village only a few days beforehand, to cure the sick and to warn everyone they should not follow other gods than the Lord Yahveh. He had laid his hands upon Yochanan, the potter's lame son, and the boy had leapt up and run outside to play with the other children. A man with such power knew which god to follow, Deborah thought. She would but pretend to offer a cake, then all would be well. The comb stilled in her hands. A man with such power could cure lord Naaman. She saw in her heart how Hesedanat would smile then, rather than weep, and opened her mouth to tell her. Then she paused; Yashion also would smile. She locked the thoughts away and combed the scent through her mistress' dark hair.

She knew something that would make the whole house sing for joy, and she kept it silent. She smiled, and felt her heart swell with victory and with power.

  


[Image source](http://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/Pictures/Divided%20Kingdom%20Artwork/target6.html)


End file.
